The class of drugs known as NSAID’s is better than daily aspirin therapy in preventing the development of colon cancer, a new study finds.

Colorectal cancer (colon and rectal cancer) is the third most common cancer in the world.

In the U.S., more than one-third of people who develop colorectal cancer will die of the disease, with most of those cancers arising such untreated polyps.

These are growths that extend from the lining of the colon, which can develop into cancer.

Previous research has looked at nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAID’s, e.g. ibuprofen, as well as aspirin and several supplements in preventing the recurrence of these advanced polyps.

To learn which was most effective, Mayo Clinic analyzed data from 15 randomized, controlled studies, which included information from 12,234 patients.

These studies included low- and high-dose aspirin therapy, calcium, vitamin D and folic acid, and compared them each alone or in various combinations.

The study found that NSAIDs worked better than any of these other therapies in preventing the reoccurrence of such polyps, with aspirin coming in second.

But the study also showed that aspirin has nearly as good results, so, when doing a risk vs. benefits assessment, low-dose aspirin might be a better choice for many patients, the researchers say.

The study appears in BMJ.